Donovan to Bayern: The Right Move

Landon Donovan is arguably the greatest footballer ever produced in the United States. This past MLS season, Donovan dominated the opposition, despite being on one of the worst teams in the league. Now Landon Donovan begins the nest phase of his career in Germany, with a ten day trial at legendary club Bayern Munich.

Jurgen Klinsmann knows Donovan better than any manager in Europe having watched him up close while living in Southern California. Martin Vasquez, Klinsmann’s assistant previously was on the staff of the Galaxy and played in MLS himself. This is the right move for Donovan. Right now Landon Donovan is in the prime of his career and if he can impress Bayern Munich with his technical skill and football savvy, he can play anywhere on the planet.

Some critics in the United States have made up allegedly funny nicknames and songs to describe Landon Donovan’s lack of motivation as they see it. These critics who seldom ever follow MLS or the US National Team and probably don’t follow the Bundesliga either will never get off Donovan’s back. But this seems to have had a motivating affect on the player who is eager to prove his critics wrong and become the best he can be at the same time. Donovan, the winner of three MLS Cups realizes the league’s poor quality isn’t helping him grow as a player. He’s seen inferior American talents go abroad and excel and now he’s ready to do the same.

Landon Donovan will be successful wherever he chooses (or is allowed) to ply his trade. His fitness level and technical skill have made him an American footballing icon. Now it’s Europe’s turn to understand why we think so highly of him on this side of the pond.

About The Author

A lifelong lover of soccer, the beautiful game, he served from January 2010 until May 2013 as the Director of Communications and Public Relations for the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Raised on the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL, Krishnaiyer previously hosted the American Soccer Show on the Champions Soccer Radio Network, the Major League Soccer Talk podcast and the EPL Talk Podcast.
His soccer writing has been featured by several media outlets including The Guardian and The Telegraph. He is the author of the book Blue With Envy about Manchester City FC.

Donavan will be fortunate to hammer down a starting. The pace and quality of Germany are so much different from MLS that there are serious doubts about whether or not he can flourish there. He is the US's biggest name, but was an abject failure at BL. Hopefully, I am wrong, but my doubts are strong.

I think Bayern is the wrong place at the wrong time for him. With everything going pear shaped in Munich and the bad publicity he already endures, he's going to have to walk on water to avoid getting slagged off and run out of town the minute Klinnsman is sacked.

He just needs to take the international move with a heaping spoonful of humility. He will not be the star at a big club like Bayern. Heck, he'll be lucky to get much playing time. Of course he knows this. It's all a matter of what he wants to get out of his international stint. Is it to improve as a player? To be a star? Money? Whatever it is, I wish the best for him, but, from the spectator's point of view, it doesn't look like a good fit for him at BM.

It may not be the right move going to bayern. I'm just afraid he will not get the playing time he thinks he deserves, and I totally agree with Ian here. I'd like to see him playing week in and week out, I just don't that will happen for him at Bayern. Like Ian said he has to absolutely let go of his ego and understand he will not be a big fish in a small pond anymore. Good luck to Landon though I hope succeeds.